Someone Somewhere
by greysanatomiac007
Summary: What if Thumbelina already had wings when she met Cornelius? **AU


Thumbelina!AU based off of a prompt where Thumbelina has wings.

A/N: I watched this movie yesterday with my little cousin and was inspired to write this one-shot. As always, comments are highly appreciated :)

* * *

There was once a beautiful young woman, who, more than anything in the world, wished for a child. She was barren, you see, and her husband was constantly away and travelling as often merchants do. The beautiful young woman, Eve, was lonely.

She prayed for a child every night.

One day, she was walking through town and saw and old beggar lady. Providing her with food, the crone pressed a seed into Eve's hand with a smile, telling her to care for the plant as if it were her own, to love it unconditionally.

Eve did.

Every morning, she would coo at the contents of the flowerpot, kissing its closed flower and stroking its green leaves before giving it water. She repeated this ritual for weeks, until one day, with the rise of the sun, her pressed kiss to a gorgeous purple bud caused the flower to open.

A small figure lay its golden middle, tiny body naked and covered in pollen as she gasped, tears springing to her eyes. Amazed, Eve reached out a finger, elegant appendage stroking over a delicate body as the being lifted its head, blinking tiredly.

She was beautiful. A light mess of hair tangled atop her head and she had sapphires for eyes, their brightness and colour ethereal. But perhaps most impressive were her wings. They were large compared to his small body, inky blue against dark purple flower petals and boasted the tiniest, softest feathers the young woman had ever seen.

"Oh, my miracle," Eve breathed with a watery smile. "My angel: Thumbelina."

And so Thumbelina was her name.

*** Life was difficult when you were so small. While Thumbelina loved her mother dearly, and the world she had been brought into was nothing short of magnificent, the tiny being often felt awkward and out of place in its wide expanse.

She couldn't get into any of the cupboards if she was hungry, nor could she properly use… well, anything really. Eve modified it all for her. It made Thumbelina feel incredibly guilty; that she'd done so much and yet never be able to truly hug her or kiss her cheek, or that caring for her when she was old and grey would be a near impossibility due to her size.

She'd tried to fly once, twice, three times… But no matter much she stretched her wings, intent of taking off and flying toward the sun, Thumbelina would tumble to the ground. She didn't understand why they didn't work, only that they were useless at her back, and got ruffled very quickly.

She hated them in their impracticality, especially because grooming was always difficult. She was much too small for her mother to help without hurting her. And so, the tiny being spent most of her days wandering around the garden or in the library; almost killing herself in her attempt to open heavy things.

Eve had taught Thumbelina to read.

"Mother, would you tell me a story?"

But sometimes, it was nice to simply listen.

"What would you like to hear?"

"Something different," the little being requested through a yawn.

"Engaging. Romance, perhaps?" Eve clucked her tongue once, brows pulling together in thought before she snapped her fingers in triumph, reaching for a novel. "Here we are: Once upon a time, in a land far far away, there lived a Faerie Prince…"

Thumbelina was enthralled. Were there really others like her? Other people the size of the average human thumb? It seemed wildly improbable at best. After all, if there were other flower children, what were the chances any of them were within a reasonable distance for attempting communication? "They are little, just like me!" Thumbelina gasped in surprise.

"These are faeries, Thumbelina. And faeries have wings so they can fly."

"Mother, have you ever seen a faerie?"

Eve smiled, though the thing soon turned sad on her face. "Well, I thought I did once."

"Really?" Thumbelina asked, astonished that her mother might have seen an actual faerie before.

"Yes." Her mother chuckled and then continued the story. "And here, the faerie prince and princess are having a wedding."

Her mother moved her spectacles closer to the book so that Thumbelina would have a better view.

"And, they live happily ever after," Thumbelina exclaimed excitedly.

"Oh, usually, dear."

Thumbelina kept her eyes firmly trained on the page, eyes roving over pictures of tiny people in crowns and fancy dress, their large, gorgeous wings so different from hers. Where she had dark feathers, they had sparkling transparent matter, like a dragonfly but more colourful and beautiful. Even if they did exist, who was to say that they would not view her as an abomination?

"Hmm, I suppose it works best...if two people are about the same size." Thumbelina looked at down at the handsome prince in the picture and then up at her mother.

"Yes, of course." Her mother agreed with her, nodding her head and smiling a sad smile.

"Yes.."She stood up and walked along the book's edge. "Well, that's not fair. I must be the only little person in the whole world. I wish I were big." Thumbelina sat down on top of the book and pulled her knees against her chest in an effort to console herself.

"Oh, no. Thumbelina, no. Don't ever wish to be anything but what you are." Eve said softly, a tip of her finger moving to lift her chin. "Do not despair. You are not alone in this world, I am sure of it."

Thumbelina gave her mother's face a passing look and couldn't help but disagree. No, she thought, an inexplicable sadness tightening in her gut. I am the only one my size.

But the light-haired being gave her quirk of a smile, closing her eyes as her mother placed a kiss to the top of her head. "I love you," she murmured. "With all my heart."

"I love you, too, Mother."

"Bedtime, my dear. It's been a long day." She held out her hand as Thumbelina climbed into it, carefully holding her in the palm of her hand. She then carried her beautiful daughter upstairs to bed. "You must go to sleep now. Sleep tight."

"Mother?" Thumbelina asked as her mother gently tucked her in.

"Mm-hm?"

"Would you please leave the book open?" Thumbelina asked politely.

With a soft smile on her face, her mother replied, "Of course, dear."

"I wanna look at the pictures while I go to sleep."

Her mother set the book up nicely next to her small bed, giving her a great view of the pictures. "There."

"Good night, Mother," Thumbelina said as she looked at her, silently thanking her.

"Good night, Thumbelina. Don't stay up too late, all right?"

Thumbelina watched as she left, stepping in front of the makeshift mirror by her window as she observed herself: light hair, blue eyes, ineffectual black wings, fairly rumpled white and blue dress, her feet perpetually bare… She looked tired, she thought, and certainly not like a faerie. She was nowhere close to their delicate beauty. Not that it mattered anyway; faeries were fictional.

Which honestly, was okay. This way, Thumbelina didn't have to worry about socializing. She could spend her days in her wonderful cocoon of solitude, comfortable and safe. She was not enthusiastic about people to begin with, so not having them his size… it wasn't so much of a drawback as just curiously disappointing.

For some reason, Thumbelina felt lonely. "Hmm..I know there's someone, somewhere. Someone, who's sure to find me soon."

Thumbelina began to softly hum a tune and dance around on top of the windowsill.

"After the rain goes, there are rainbows." She gave her skirt a twirl, hoping against hope that there really will be a rainbow after all that she's had to endure. "I'll find my rainbow soon."

Walking over to the book, she stood beside the picture of the faerie prince. Looking up at him, she longed to be with him. "Soon, it won't be just pretend. Soon a happy ending. Love, can you hear me?" Thumbelina turned her head and glanced at him, hoping that he was listening, somehow. "If your near me, sing your song, sure and strong, and soon."

She leaned in slowly and gently pressed her lips against the picture of the faerie prince and looking into the eyes of the young man, wondered to herself, "I wonder if there really are such things as faeries." She sighed, longing for company.

* * *

A young prince was riding through the vale when he heard the most magnificent voice. It seemed to be coming from someone inside the window of a small farm. He slowed his Bumble down to get a closer look. "Woah…Oh! Hello! What a beautiful voice. I wonder who she is. Stay here, boy. I'll check this out." He then tried to sneak around the side of the window and into the bedroom.

Not watching where he was headed, the young prince hit his head against the window and fell onto the sill, out of sight.

* * *

**Something hit her window.

Immediately, Thumbelina hid behind the book at her bedside, tucking her wings tightly against her back as she held her breath, baby blues widening when she heard something push its way through the opened crack of her window.

Taking a deep breath, the tiny being forced herself to take a peek over the spine of the book, gritting her teeth when she saw nothing. Her heart was pounding wildly in her chest, and she briefly thought to call for her mother, but then remembered that there was no way she'd be able to hear her. So, Thumbelina did what any logical person would do in that situation: she crawled over to the pincushion at the corner of the desk, and pulled out a needle.

Brandishing it like a sword, the blue-eyed being narrowed her eyes, stance confident and wings extended like in the stories despite the fact that her insides were trembling.

That's when she heard the whistle.

It was low and impressed, and Thumbelina jolted the needle towards the sound without a second thought, ears picking up an indignant 'Hey!' as she swiped at the air again and again, barely seeing in her haste to protect herself.

"Jesus!"

Thumbelina stopped.

"Thank you. Christ."

Hovering before her was a faerie. Beautiful with his sun-kissed, golden skin and copper hair, Thumbelina felt her arm drop limp, her eyes widening as she observed a straight nose and strong jaw, mouth perfect and pink against high cheekbones. His eyes were sparkling green gems in his face, their colour and playfulness unparalleled as they observed her in return, a delicate brow arching at the faerie landed with a soft 'thump'.

Oh, his wings were gorgeous; shimmering gold and white and elegant against his back. His bare back, as the faerie wore no shirt. He was clad in pants that cut off just before his knees, the material a deep green embroidered with different swirling patterns of gold. Atop his head sat a delicate looking crown of the same yellow, its design one of flowers and leaves with tiny gems inlaced into the metal, one slightly pointed ear hidden from where it had fallen lopsided. His feet were bare, but his forearms were covered in odd bracelets, a single amulet hanging from his neck.

And the best part? He was only an iota taller than Thumbelina herself.

The needle clattered to the floor.

"W-wait a minute. What are you staring at?" When she didn't say anything he asked, "Well, say something, will you?"

"You… You're…you're one of them." She said in astonishment as she pointed at the picture in the book.

"I beg your pardon?" the faerie asked, incredulous.

"I thought I was the only one my size in the whole world." She said, trying to explain to him what she was feeling. When she looked at him, she could feel his eyes traveling down her body, stopping at her giant wings behind her.

"You've got-" he made some sort of vague motion to his back, wings fluttering delicately to try and make his point. Thumbelina understood. Quickly, she tucked her own wings away again, stepping back in alarm when the faerie stepped forward in protest.

"No, don't-" The faerie paused, their eyes locked. "Woah," he breathed, awed smile turning into a smirk. He stepped forward again, hands up in a peaceful gesture as he approached Thumbelina, the ginger being tense and nervous and she eyed the faerie warily.

It touched her. Pressing a palm to Thumbelina's cheek, the other being bit his lip, hand sliding to his chest before yet again falling to his side.

"What's your name, beautiful?"

Thumbelina blushed wildly.

"Thumbelina," she replied softly.

"Well, Thumbelina, you're kind of adorable."

Thumbelina blushed harder.

"I'm Cornelius," the faerie offered with a charming grin.

"Cornelius," Thumbelina repeated, a smile forming on her lips. Giggling, she said "Well, that's a funny name." Her cheeks turned a rosy red, "Oh! I mean it's perfect. Uh, It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise." He replied, trying to hide his smile.

"You're a… faerie?"

"Since I was born," Cornelius answered. "But my wings are nowhere near as cool as yours."

"Oh," Thumeblina breathed stupidly. She was completely overwhelmed. It was one thing to have some misconstrued, far off hope that other tiny people existed… It was another to be standing face to face with one. One who, apparently, enjoyed making others blush.

And blush, Thumbelina did.

Her entire body was flushed and warm and just couldn't look away from Cornelius and his gorgeous eyes.

All her life she'd spent her time scoffing at romance novels because she couldn't understand them; how was it possible to fall in love with someone at all, let alone in an evening? It didn't make sense. It wasn't a concept Thumbelina had been capable of grasping.

She thought that she understood it a little bit better now.

"Can I, uh… touch them? Your wings, I mean." Cornelius asked bashfully, a light pink dusting his own cheeks. "You can say 'no'. I don't want to make you uncomfortable or anything."

Thumbelina pondered this. Nobody, other than herself and her mother, had ever touched the inky black masses at her back, and even then, Eve had only over run her finger across them in what she'd hoped had been a comforting gesture. "Yes," Thumbelina said, albeit a little shaky. "May I… touch yours?"

Cornelius nodded, his cheeks turning a darker red as Thumbelina observed him with sharp interest, extending a hand and a wing in unison. Her fingers brushed a smooth, hard surface as she stood with Cornelius, bodies close but not touching. It felt like a beetle shell. Infinitely more delicate and cool to the touch, Cornelius's wings felt smooth and sent tingles up Thumbelina's spine, her lip parting in surprise. "Yeah," Cornelius said breathlessly. "They, um, they've got— fuck."

"I'm sorry." Thumbelina's hand dropped to her side, her ears flaming with embarrassment as she looked down, stepping away. "The last thing I meant was to harm you," she babbled. "I swear, I-"

"Hey hey," Cornelius said softly, his own ears just as pink. "It's okay, you didn't hurt me. It felt… It was good. I liked it." He approached Thumbelina slowly then, the other watching nervously as Cornelius wrapped an around her waist, tugging them flush. Thumbelina's eyes widened but she made no move to pull away, and Cornelius gave her every opportunity to. "You can keep going, if you want," the faerie said warm and low, voice like butter against the shell of Thumbelina's ear. "I'd like it if you did."

Thumbelina exhaled shakily. "O-Oh."

Cornelius smirked, lips brushing the other's cheek as he pressed a ghost of a kiss to the smooth skin there.

"Yeah, Belina, oh."

Thumbelina acknowledged the nickname with a flutter of her heart, hands moving to grip Cornelius's shoulders tightly.

"Can I..?" the faerie asked.

"Yes."

Thumbelina spread her wings, breath hitching as Cornelius ran his fingers over dark primary feathers, not daring to do anything else but lightly touch.

Until he felt the feathers at the base of Belina's right wing. He only barely touched the out of place plume but Thumbelina hissed in pain all the same, blushing and looking away from Cornelius as she composed herself.

The faerie frowned, hesitantly reaching back to dig his fingers into the soft black mass, straightening and stroking and watching feathers float to the floor. Thumbelina sighed in relief, unable to stop herself from burying her face in Cornelius's neck, arms draped haphazardly about his shoulders. "Thank you," she breathed.

"Don't mention it," the faerie replied kindly. "I can do the other one, too, if you wanna sit somewhere."

And that's how Cornelius spent the evening grooming Thumbelina's wings.

"So, nobody to do this for you?" Cornelius had asked casually at one point, fingers sifting through primary feathers.

Belina had shaken her head. "My mother is a normal-sized human," she'd explained. "It's just the two of us here."

"So, like, no boyfriend…" Dean leaned forwards, breath ghosting the back of Thumbelina's neck. He scooted forward, groin practically flush against Thumbelina's back. "Or any type of friend?"

"N-No," the light-haired being breathed. "I've never- I never knew there were others my size."

Cornelius could see Thumbelina's blush paint the nape of his neck. He grinned, nudging the area with his nose as he smiled playfully, humming in thought. "Well, now you know."

"Do you?" Thumbelina asked quickly, the words tumbling rushed from her mouth.

"Do I what?"

"Have a girlfriend?" Belina had tacked on the last question like a quick afterthought, her heart pounding and face flushing and body overall out of her control. They were odd, these feelings, but definitely not unpleasant. Thumbelina only hoped she didn't sound like too much of an uneducated idiot… Which was odd in and of itself, as she'd never cared for the opinions of others before.

"Nah, I'm flyin' solo," Dean said easily, untangling another mess of feathers. "But… I don't have to be."

"I see."

"With that tone," the faerie teased,

"I'm not sure you do."

That was the end of that conversation.

But it was by no means the end of the evening.

They talked about everything; stars, books, the Universe; absent fathers and love for their mothers. Cornelius said Tabitha had been beautiful and wonderful and kind, and Thumbelina had absolutely no doubt in her mind that she had been. Mostly because Cornelius was beautiful and wonderful and kind. She'd told this to the faerie, who had looked on in absolute amazement, like he couldn't believe somebody was uttering those words when he didn't believe them himself.

Because Cornelius didn't. There were people who told them how handsome he was on a daily basis; those who tried to court him or gain his favour… But Thumbelina had no idea who he was, and the tone of her voice was so earnest that Cornelius almost broke from the truth of it. "Thanks, Belina," he'd replied lamely. "You're pretty awesome yourself."

Apparently, Cornelius hated the smell of roses, but adored dandelions, and he had a younger brother named Sam with whom his sun rose and set. He was a prince. Cornelius's father was named John, and once Tabitha passed on, he was never the same. Cornelius told stories of gruesome hunts and even grislier victories, of how John wanted his sons to be survivors. Sam and John often didn't see eye to eye, and Cornelius explained that he'd crashed into Belina's window while on a ride to simply get away from their arguing. He'd met some unfriendly visitors on his way, however, and his bumble, Buzzby, had thrown him at the last minute, buzzing off somewhere nearby to keep him safe. Dean had no doubt she'd soon return.

Then wings came up. Embarrassed, Thumbelina had admitted that hers were ineffectual; useless things on her back only good for mild gliding. She had been prepared for Cornelius to shun her in disgust then, but the faerie had only set to grooming with newfound fervor and delicateness, praising the dark masses at Thumbelina's back with a reverence the blue-eyed being could barely understand.

"Do you want to?"

"Sorry?"

"Do you want to fly?"

"Well, I- yes, of course, but-"

"Come with me."

Cornelius held on tightly, arms encircling Thumbelina's waist as her face buried into the crook of his neck and Buzzby went faster and faster, wind whipping against Belina's face as the light-haired being vibrated with excitement, laughing high and happy and full.

Cornelius decided he wanted Belina to laugh all the time.

Thumbelina discovered she loved flying.

She slipped from Buzzby's back, black wings tucked into her back as she stroked the bumblebee with a soft smile, her vibrating ticklish against her palms. "Thank you, Cornelius," Thumbelina said softly, sincerely. "How can I ever repay you?"

"Kiss me." And it was out without Cornelius's permission, but the words hung in the air like some sort of deflating balloon. The faerie pasted on an easy grin. He'd wanted to kiss Thumbelina since the young woman had looked at him, blue eyes wide and lips parted in awe, but not because Belina felt she had to.

"Sorry, that was… that was a mistake. You don't have to-"

"Was it?" Thumbelina asked, tone nothing but curious as she relaxed from her previously tensed position. "A mistake?"

The way Belina was looking at him made Cornelius's heart knock against his ribs fast as a hummingbird. "No," the faerie said slowly. "No, it wasn't."

Belina nodded, stepping up to the fae as she licked her lips nervously, leaning forward with an almost business-like attitude as she pressed their mouths together. Thumbelina melted into him, their bodies joining together.

Gently, he pulled Thumbelina flush against his chest, one hand moving to tangle in light red hair while the other played against the other's back. Cornelius sighed.

Slowly, Belina began to unwind. He was by no means completely pliant, but the blue-eyed being released some of the tension from her shoulders, wings wrapping around them both as they moved seemingly of their own accord, one hand holding tightly to Cornelius's forearms while her other arm encircled the faerie's shoulders, pressing them more tightly together. "Mmmph."

Cornelius grinned, tongue pushing out to lick at Thumbelina's bottom lip as the other being jumped in surprise, pulling away flushed and flustered as she swallowed thickly, looking from Cornelius's eyes to his mouth rapidly.

"Was that… adequate?"

"Adeq- Belina, that- yeah. Yeah, that was more than adequate."

"Oh," Thumbelina said. "Good."

"Yeah."

They stared at each other for a long time.

"Do you think," Belina started nervously. "I mean, would you be opposed to possibly… Perhaps we could-"

Cornelius pecked her mouth sweetly, pulling back with a playful grin. "I think so."

Thumbelina didn't know how much time they spent kissing, but it was long enough for her legs to grow tired and her mouth to feel swollen and numb, her body revving for more and more and more and more. She pulled away when she felt a sharp bout of pleasure hit her where Cornelius's hand had brushed her abdomen, sparks shooting up her spine to tingle at the back of her head and at her cheekbones. "C-Cornelius…"

It felt so different than touching herself. Not that Cornelius was actually touching bare skin, but for some reason, the knowledge that it was somebody else, that it was Cornelius, made everything different.

It was terrifying.

Abruptly, Belina pulled away, reaching out for the faerie before she realized what she was doing and pushed the hand down. "Cornelius, I can't- I'm sorry-"

Because it felt so good and she wanted it so bad but it was too much. She wasn't- it was too much. Maybe after some practice, maybe when she'd gotten used to the shortness of breath and the blood rushing in ears they could- but not now. Not when it was all so new.

Thumbelina turned her back, wings encircling her body as she waited, with baited breath, to hear Cornelius leave.

Cornelius did no such thing.

"Hey," the fae said softly, hand touching her lower back lightly. "Belina, you've got nothing to be sorry for." He paused when the wings didn't open, palms pressing entirely against his companion's thin dress. "Thumbelina, the last thing I want is for you to be uncomfortable. I don't- All this other stuff, I don't really care about it."

Belina turned around then, raising a brow as her wings once again tucked behind her back. "You're lying."

"Fine. Maybe I like kissing you. Maybe I want to kiss you all day long; touch you, and taste you and…" The faerie had managed to gather Thumbelina in his arms, breathing out the words as intimately as a lover would, his tone soft and secret. "And maybe I want to love you, completely and fully and until you can't remember your name. Maybe… maybe I do love you. But Belina, if any of that makes you uncomfortable, then I'll stop. I promise, I'll stop."

Thumbelina was overwhelmed. Her hands gripped Cornelius's shoulders again as she swallowed thickly. "You can't just stop loving someone, Cornelius."

"Says who? I'll be the first one to do it."

Belina exhaled shakily, pressing a hesitant chaste kiss to the corner of Dean's mouth. "I don't want you to do it."

"You don't… You want me to love you?"

Thumbelina bit her lip. "I can't- I'm not comfortable with… everything, as of yet, but I can-"

"No, Belina, everything at your pace. Everything-" Cornelius let loose a happy breath, smiling brilliantly as he kissed Thumbelina hard and deep, feeling the same smile against his mouth as they pressed and pushed against each other, Belina taking the lead.

"Come."

The blue-eyed being, tugged Cornelius toward the windowsill, grabbing the blankets and pillows from her small bed as they walked over. Unceremoniously dropping everything to the ground, Thumbelina sat back, tugging Cornelius down with her as they cuddled and whispered and watched the sky, sneaking little kisses and big ones and all the kinds in between in there place almost under the stars.

The sun was beginning to rise when Cornelius turned to Belina, brushing his fingers along beautiful inky feathers. "Let me be your wings," he whispered.

Thumbelina felt her heart skip a beat as she leaned forward, looking into the mesmerizing green of Cornelius's eyes. This was not just a confession of love, this was an invitation. This was Cornelius asking for her company, always and forever, outside this room and this hour and this garden. Pressing their mouths together in a tender kiss, Thumbelina pulled away only to nudge Cornelius's nose with her own, smiling contentedly.

"Whatever makes you mine."


End file.
